Three Medical Device Companies Doing Instagram Marketing Right

Instagram isn’t just for influencers anymore. B2B organizations are jumping on Insta and gaining the attention they deserve. In one B2B sector, medical device companies, one particular niche, diabetes management devices, one can find robust Instagram accounts from several industry leaders.

Medical device marketing is robust. Companies like Dexcom, Medtronic Diabetes and Novo Nordisk are sharing educational information, success stories and original user-generated content with the world, including the 37.3 million Americans living with diabetes.

There are plenty of great reasons for B2B companies to be active on Instagram:

• Instagram is one of the world’s top 10 most-visited websites, with 2.9B visits per month
• Average Instagram business accounts grow followers by 1.69% each month
• Average engagement on Instagram business account posts is 0.83%

We reviewed Instagram pages for three medical device companies to answer one question: In terms of medical device marketing, who is doing it best? We assessed them based on four of HubSpot’s Instagram B2B best practices, including:

• Tell stories visually. Ditch the stock and staged images. Think captivating photos and videos that telegraph your brand image.
• Maximize Instagram stories. Use these short-lived opportunities to share breaking news, special offers and snackable videos with followers.
• Share authentic user content. Hearing from actual users is stronger than hearing only from a company, so aim for these real posts.
• Optimize the bio link. Instagram doesn’t allow links in posts, but it does in the bio link. As a result, making the most of the bio link is both an art and a science.

Dexcom — Let Users Tell Their Stories

119K followers | 164 following | 638 posts

Dexcom develops and markets Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems for ambulatory use to help people better manage their diabetes and for healthcare providers to help treat diabetic patients. Since its founding, Dexcom has empowered its community of patients, caregivers and clinicians to achieve better outcomes. 

Dexcom’s Instagram page reflects its passion for empowerment starting with its description — even dropping a hashtag in like an Insta-pro: “Empowering patients and providers to make knowledge their superpower with #Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring systems.” 

Here’s our feedback on our four scoring criteria for Dexcom’s Instagram:

Tell stories visually. The company focuses on its users with images that look more real than staged. While not exceptionally visual, it’s obviously doing something right, because it has the most followers of the three medical device companies. (It doesn’t hurt that Nick Jonas is one of its customers.)

Maximize Instagram stories. Dexcom makes good use of the stories feature, leveraging what it does best — sharing more user successes.

Share authentic user content. Dexcom scores high in this category, thanks to a focus on people who use its product. While they are filtered through the company’s voice, they feel authentic thanks to use of ‘raw’ images and sprinkling in users’ own words.

Optimize the bio link. The company makes great use of the link offering a wide variety of educational and product content.

Medtronic Diabetes — Maximizes Instagram’s Bio Link

65.7K followers | 336 following | 1,419 posts

This medical device manufacturer has a noble goal: To help people focus more on life, and not on diabetes. Its description line does a great job of stating its mission — while using two hashtags including one that is branded (two points!): Boldly transforming #diabetes care together, for greater freedom and better health. Tag us to share how you’re #MedtronicStrong!”

For over 35 years, Medtronic Diabetes has been on the leading edge of insulin delivery solutions, including its InPen system, which takes the guesswork out of insulin injections by calculating the right dose every time. It also manufactures insulin pump systems, continuous glucose monitoring machines and more.

Here’s our feedback on the four scoring criteria for Medtronic Diabetes’ Instagram page:

• Tell stories visually. The company’s posts are a good mix of user stories, special offers, educational announcements and product stories. While not as visually striking as other pages, it gains a lot of points for quality content that users can use. 
• Maximize Instagram stories. Medtronic Diabetes makes great use of this feature, offering followers a wide range of stories in which to watch, listen and learn. 
• Share authentic user content. While the company makes good use of featuring its customers, the stories are filtered through the company’s voice, so, while still good, they don’t provide the same impact as content straight from users. 
• Optimize the bio link. Medtronic Diabetes really packs in the education and product information into this link, maximizing the opportunity to keep users informed. 

Novo Nordisk — Puts a Pro Team Front and Center

99.1K followers | 683 following | 4,520 posts

If you land on Novo Nordisk’s Instagram page by accident, at first glance, you might think it’s for an elite bicycle manufacturer. But the fine print clears that up: “World’s 1st all-diabetes professional cycling team racing to inspire, educate & empower everyone living with diabetes.” In fact, the Denmark-based company, is the maker of smart insulin pens that auto-records insulin dosing information about each injection: NovoPen^® 6 and NovoPen Echo^® Plus. 

Rather than focus on its technology, like so many other companies do, Novo Nordisk is creating an Insta-brand around a professional cycling team whose riders have diabetes. This is a very smart and social-savvy move. After all, seeing high-performance cyclists participating in one of the most grueling sports, is a true inspiration for others living with diabetes. 

Here’s our feedback on the four scoring criteria for Novo Nordisk’s Instagram page:

• Tell stories visually. Its page blows the competition away by focusing on the outcome of managing your diabetes well via professional cycling. (Go Team Novo Nordisk!)
• Maximize Instagram stories. Novo Nordisk stays on brand in its stories, with more about the team — and continuing to inspire customers and visitors alike. 
• Share authentic user content. By taking a unique approach to Instagram, the company stands out from its competitors who take a more conventional approach. After all, how can people help but be energized and inspired by pro athletes winning competitions?
• Optimize the bio link. As good as Novo Nordisk’s Instagram page is, it loses points on the bio link, because it doesn’t even have one. Just a link to a video.

Clearly these three companies are leaders in medical device marketing. They are maximizing Instagram’s potential to help meet users where they are — on the app. They share valuable and encouraging information that can help people with diabetes stay informed, involved and inspired. They are all Insta-winners!

As a digital marketing agency, Kuno Creative has years of experience helping health and technology companies successfully strategize and execute their digital marketing efforts — with social media being just one piece of the marketing puzzle. To learn more about how we can help advance your efforts, request a free consultation.